Franklin Co. schools, state police keep eye on Facebook threats

Pennsylvania State Police kept an eye on four area high schools — Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, James Buchanan and Chambersburg — today in connection with a threatened school shooting posted on Facebook.

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By Nancy Mace/The Record Herald

Waynesboro Record Herald - Waynesboro, PA

By Nancy Mace/The Record Herald

Posted Dec. 21, 2012 at 12:30 PM

By Nancy Mace/The Record Herald

Posted Dec. 21, 2012 at 12:30 PM

Pennsylvania State Police kept an eye on four area high schools — Waynesboro, Greencastle-Antrim, James Buchanan and Chambersburg — today in connection with a threatened school shooting posted on Facebook.

The threat came on the eve of the one-week anniversary of the deadly rampage at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., where 20 students and six adults were killed,

"Any time you are dealing with social media you have to take the source into account," according to Trooper Ed Asbury, public information officer. "Anonymity creates loose lips. Nonetheless, a threat is a threat and we take all threats seriously. Those making the threats will be punished to the full extent of the law once they are found."

In school

School is in session today at the schools. However, students are being dismissed early because of the Christmas holiday.

In Waynesboro, a recorded phone message from high school Principal Chris Dennis regarding the threat was disseminated to parents at 10:18 p.m.

"All students are situated in the classroom and we are hopeful that these are just Facebook rumors, but at the same time we take every situation like this seriously," WASD superintendent Dr. Sherian Diller said this morning.

"We are monitoring the situation. Police are tracking down leads. We feel the school is very safe," said Dr. Joseph Padasak, Chambersburg Area School District superintendent.

"I've been aware of other schools having the same type of threats," said G-A School District Superintendent Dr. C. Gregory Hoover this morning. "I didn't hear about the threats until 8 a.m. We've only had two calls concerning it."

Elsewhere

In suburban Philadelphia, Council Rock South High School is closed today after the district said it received a threat. One student was taken into custody.

Council Rock South is located in Newtown, a community with the same name as the Connecticut town where 20 elementary school students were killed a week ago.

In the Lehigh Valley, Emmaus High School is closed Friday because of a bomb threat. The district says it doesn't believe the threat is credible.

Police in suburban Pittsburgh say they arrested two teens after a pair of threats of a shooting at Hopewell High School on Friday. They were released to their parents.